Waiting, by its very nature, is a painful process.
This could be because some people die waiting.
Lucky ones die long after the waiting was over. What relief!
For now, we may not count Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) beneficiaries among the lucky ones. Why? They are still waiting for, of all things, the list of those set to benefit from 2023-24 inputs.
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The reason for this is that implementation of the 2023- 24 AIP may face further delays as, after Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale told Parliament that things would be set by September, there are indications that October may be the realistic target.
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I still remember that, on August 14 this year, Kawale said his ministry had finalised key preparations, including identification of 13 suppliers of fertiliser under AIP, with the hope that the programme would be launched this month.
Of course, he said, in a ministerial statement, that the number of beneficiaries and the redemption amount would be communicated later.
In his own words, he said: “Right now, we are just waiting for a little bit of logistics here and there to make sure that, when we go into the month of September, then we can just be talking about the launching date so that we start delivering fertiliser, starting with hard-to-reach places.”
Fast-forward to September 15 2023 and names of those set to benefit from AIP are yet to be announced.
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In fact, in the latest development, the Ministry of Agriculture has indicated that names of beneficiaries of this year’s AIP will be made public by October.
I have, in mind, what Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary responsible for Technical Services Medrina Mloza Banda said on Thursday, to the effect that they are almost done with the task of preparing names of beneficiaries.
But, then, Banda also indicated that Malawians should not be worried because the ministry is sure that beneficiaries will start accessing inputs, targeting people that plant with the first rains, in October this year.
Well, maybe intended beneficiaries of AIP wanted to hear something about implementation of the programme but she has not indicated any tangible dates. All she has done is tell people about what is happening and, then, leave them in suspense as to when, exactly, names of beneficiaries will be known.
By now, those who cannot afford a 50 kilogramme bag of fertiliser are panicking, which is why I am not surprised that the Farmers Union of Malawi (Fum) has faulted the government for failing to release the list of farmers to benefit from AIP by now, saying this has the potential to push people into food insecurity.
In the words of Fum President Manes Nkhata, by now, farmers are already under duress due to the rising cost of commodities, further indicating that the farmers are most likely going to fail to buy fertiliser, considering prevailing market prices.
Nkhata indicates, for example, that “The high prices of fertiliser will affect many smallholder farmers as they will not be able to access fertiliser at the prevailing market prices, which will push millions of farming households into food insecurity and undernutrition. The conduct of the government, which is failing to give information on the list of beneficiaries and farmers’ contributions to AIP, puts farmers in a difficult position to plan for the season,” she said.
There are countless others who are sharing similar views, one of whom being agriculture policy expert Tamani Nkhono Mvula, who has also asked the government to release the list of intended AIP beneficiaries in good time. He also bemoaned delays to deliver inputs to outlets, saying he expected the process to start by the beginning of this month. “But, for that to happen, it means the farmers’ register has to be updated and released.
“If we delay any further on this one, it will also affect subsequent activities. But since we are just starting this month of September, we are hopeful that, maybe, towards the end of this month, we should be able to have the register,” Nkhono Mvula said.
His hope is that of Malawians.
This is only September and anything can happen in-between. One only hopes shortly; for waiting, that thorn in the flesh, is one such painful experience.
